HOME PAGE Falkland Focus News from the Falkland Islands Government Number: 71 - April/May 2001 Artist’s impression of the new Stanley Infant/Junior School extension supplied by the architect’s, Radley House Partnership PAGE 1 The Islands Plan – A Confident Future For The Falklands British Parliamentary Visits - Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers; MPs Visit PAGE 2 Focus on... Public Works Department - The Islands Highways; Capital Projects; The Environment; Departmental Objectives Falkland Islands Focus on Quality; New Abattoir on Schedule; Going Organic; Diversification Continues as Reindeer Arrive PAGE 3 UK Representative to Chair UKOTA News In Brief: General Election on 22 November 2001; New Census; UK Media Visits to the Falklands; Conservation on the Curriculum; Destinations 2001; New Visitors Guide to the Falkland Islands; Tristar Flight Schedule Changes; Falkland Islands Internet Portal - Live in April

Focus on... Public Works Department

The Public Works Department (PWD) is the largest department in the Falkland Islands Government, employing approximately 150 staff. The department is responsible for municipal services, construction projects and supplying water and electricity to the residents of Stanley. PWD is also in charge of the Islands road building projects and supplies stone and asphalt to the private and business sectors.

Head of Department The Director of Public Works, Mike Forrest, is a chartered civil engineer and has been in the post for five years. His involvement with the Falklands goes back to 1976 when he spent 18 months working on the construction of Stanley airport.

The Islands Highways

PWD has been responsible for the construction of approximately 555km of road on East and West Falkland. This has revolutionised life for people living in Camp who previously had to use tracks, which were often impassable during the winter months.

Future plans include:

• Rebuilding Stanley’s busiest thoroug-fare, Ross Road, situated on the waterfront.
• Re-surfacing 30 miles of the road from Stanley to Mount Pleasant Airport over a five-year period.
• Completing a further 250km of roads in Camp.

Capital Projects

Projects being undertaken in Stanley include:

• The extension of Stanley Infant/Junior School to provide new classrooms and areas for specialist subjects including arts and crafts, cookery and science. Camp Education, the long distance learning facility for the 30 plus children living in some of the isolated farm settlements outside Stanley, will also be relocated in the new extension.
• Building of the abattoir to process meat for export and for the 1,700-strong British military garrison, which at present imports its supplies. The steel-framed structure is 6km from Stanley and will have the capacity to process pigs and cattle in addition to sheep.

Building of the new abattoir. UK construction company Morrison International Construction Limited is carrying out the work as part of a five-year partnership agreement with the Falklands Islands Government.

The Environment

It is estimated that wind power could provide up to 30% of Stanley’s power needs and a site for a wind farm is already under investigation.

Departmental Objectives

The PWD is actively seeking accreditation for the Investors in People Award, a UK based certification for training and development excellence. To this end nine PWD employees are taking a diploma in Supervisory Management, to be completed by April 2001, with a UK based company Hertfordshire Business Link.

For more information please contact pwd.fig@horizon.co.fk


New Diversification Initiatives

Falkland Islands Focus on Quality

UK agency, The Partners, is working with the Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC), the Falkland Islands Government (FIG), the business community and farmers to create a new brand device for superior quality, ‘added value’ Falkland products. A Government spokesperson said: "Our aim is to target niche market sectors with high quality products, for instance meat, Upland Goose pâté, smoked oysters and mussels, mullet and organic wool. They will benefit from using a brand device which, once established, will become instantly recognised by purchasers as a mark of quality and desirability."

Diversification Continues as Reindeer Arrive In early February over 55 reindeer fawns arrived in the Falkland Islands from South Georgia. The new arrivals will be the only commercially farmed reindeer in the Southern Hemisphere.

New Abattoir on Schedule

The new abattoir, being constructed to EU standards, is in the final stages of completion and is due to be opened in July/August 2001. Initial output is expected to be 1,500 sheep per week and FIDC are in talks with potential buyers of Falkland meat.

Going Organic

The Falkland Islands are on course for many farms to achieve organic status within two years. Having passed the necessary legislation, skilled staff are being trained to take responsibility for producing an organic certification programme for the Islands, for those farmers who wish to participate.

PAGE 1 The Islands Plan – A Confident Future For The Falklands British Parliamentary Visits - Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers; MPs Visit PAGE 2 Focus on... Public Works Department - The Islands Highways; Capital Projects; The Environment; Departmental Objectives Falkland Islands Focus on Quality; New Abattoir on Schedule; Going Organic; Diversification Continues as Reindeer Arrive PAGE 3 UK Representative to Chair UKOTA News In Brief: General Election on 22 November 2001; New Census; UK Media Visits to the Falklands; Conservation on the Curriculum; Destinations 2001; New Visitors Guide to the Falkland Islands; Tristar Flight Schedule Changes; Falkland Islands Internet Portal - Live in April

Copyright 2001, Falkland Islands Government
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